BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – IN order to build capacity for the newest school year, professionals from around the island met yesterday (June 11) at the Foundation for National Development for the first-ever Guidance Counsellors Professional Development Day.
Held under the theme “Maximising student potential through guidance and counselling”, the workshop drew over 20 persons from the guidance counselling community. Several topics critical to success in the profession were discussed, including psychiatric disorders in children, signs of sexual abuse in children and the role of guidance counsellors in the recently legislated White Paper on Education Development and Policy.
Speaking exclusively to SKNVibes, Ron Dublin-Collins, President of the St. Kitts Guidance Counselling Network (SKGCN), said the idea for the Development Day came from the Network’s desire to improve its skills. He noted it was not uncommon for teachers to have regularly scheduled sessions of that nature, and revealed the workshop would now be held on an annual basis.
“The Network felt it was necessary for counsellors to meet and collaborate on certain issues. The students we interact with have changing needs so it’s important we stay on top of them and learn from one another’s experiences. We thought if we could come to address these issues, it would send the signal that the SKGCN is a united front,” said Dublin-Collins.
The President expounded on the Network’s agenda for the upcoming year, noting it would consist of more training and capacity-building exercises.
“We want to have more training, definitely, and to continue working with the Ministry [of Education] to ensure the role of guidance counsellors is kept current. We also plan to standardise referral forms within the profession and to institute rehabilitative systems for students who have been suspended,” he informed.
The SKGCN is comprised of guidance counsellors from every primary, secondary and post-secondary education institution in St. Kitts. Its motto is “Helping students find their pathways to success”.
